Evaluation; something that each of us do all the time, yet also something that intimidates and scares us when we feel that we are being evaluated by others. What might they think? What might they say? Are we measuring up?
My campus school just underwent an evaluation by a team from the Ministry of Education. You would have thought that Jesus was coming to visit. Everyone was running around, making sure that every ‘i’ was dotted and every ‘t’ crossed. Hours were taken over and above regular classroom duties to ensure that everything was in place and looked good. When it was over there was the expected sigh of relief and life returned somewhat to normal. The truth is that if it really was Jesus coming, He would have been far more concerned over us personally, our relationships, and the care for others, than that our desks were in straight rows, the hallways clean, and that our year plans matched curriculum outcomes. J
I think that portfolios and FSA tests are very similar. We feel that not only are our children being evaluated, but we ourselves are also being evaluated. That’s normal, that’s human. When my grade sevens write their FSAs this year, I’ll be feeling as much under the gun as they will, maybe even moreso as it speaks to my perceived ablilities to teach.
Feeling stressed? Sorry, that’s not my purpose. I suppose that the two reasons that I’m writing this are: first, to let you know that I am using your portfolio samples to grade your children, not you, and that YES, I understand the tensions that can sometimes accompany evaluations.
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